Seat cover



Nov. 25, E952 N. R. SEAMAN 2,619,156

SEAT COVER Filed Feb. 2, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l N. R. SEAMAN Nov. 25, 1952 SEAT COVER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 2 1951 INVEN-TOR. NORMAN R. SEAMA/v Arr R/vEys Nov. 25, 1952 N. R. sEAMAN 2,619,156

SEAT covER Filed Feb. 42, 1951 ssheets-,sneet s INVEN TOR.

NORMAN 55AM/4N ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 25, v11952 `UNIT-ED STATES --AT'ENT -fOFEIgC-'E SEAT COVER .Norman RpfSeaman, Canal Eulton, 0vhpio :Application February 2, 195,11Serial=No5209y105 i 14Glaims. -1

fiThis invention ffrelates tuscan-coversand,L in '.rparticulan. to covers'for front seats ofzmotor :.-Vehicles Currently, it has-been found-desirable to provideswater-proofcovers for -au-to seats.` for special occasions :suchas *occupancy-I while wear- -ing.bathing attire or soiled clothingfor to,V guard against vuntidiness of-children,- etc., `and `Athernodern .plastic sheeting has been #fou-nd useful in .r this, regard. To Vprovide for -suchcontingenciea `employed, fwhich need no A attachment. are "for temporaryI employment, andimay be mounted L Lor 'demounted' by anyone with -a-minimum fof'ef- `fort,-v and-may bef storedl --away-in a small-packwage; as in' thel storingiof thinrainccats.

`Heretofore, thesef'covers -have Ibeenl constructed "more ory less along theilines ofi-.the traditional :seat` -cover, havingaA seat; afront` apron;V side panels; and` a shroud whichftted over the seat -fback andfhad a generally rectangular baclgjpanel, -the -upper'orseat-back portionpf the side panels `vv`oeing--fastened tothe back panel ina generally -vertical-beam. This gresultedl in a yright-,angle *cornerv between s uch lseam and; the lower edge of, the back-panel. Loosecoversof ,the ,typegcon-v sideredfvarefgsnbj ect to considerable shifting4 by f movements pof-jtheoccupantsg; andi-'I'- havei .found f that,=when1subj ect to" such j shifting, covers of `conventional construction;*as Vjust described, lp resenty weakj'gpoints .atthe; right angularicorner 'rnentionedjihigh lstressesbeing ,Set up which exceed the holding power ofthe side panell seam, with tears,commencing Vat t hispoi nt,i` being of -ffrequentV occurrence.

I have foundthat by revising" the contour.` of i the` loweredges of l thepjcover on eithersiyde of '1 tl'iecritical point, the trQuble is 'eiecti-velyelimi- ",fnated. j Further, as a consequenceof this structuralchange. in the4 cover, I have been` able, .to

` appreciably reducetheamount of .sheet material I *requiredv for.` the Y cover, and .thusV to reduce its cost.

'It is,'therefore, a principaljobj-ect of` the invention to materially lengthen the life ofgseat cov- Mine-seat covers-whichfterid'to; initiate tears in `the seams. More particularlyA itis an objectl to profvidea seat/ cover'in"which marginal` edges ,are J:arranged in` a'. manner to minimize stresses in- YNcident' tonOrmal use of' the cover. Yet another and related object is to provideaseat cover-of 'improved strength while vreducing the amount ofrmaterialrrequired.

'Ihese and-other ends are attained-by the-in- I` vention, one preferredform` of which is described .50' edge@ slanted V.uptlfirqlly @allonge 11 (Cl-.;1;55-,18Z)

1in .thefspecication; to.jgfolloweand.;-illustratedgin 1the,drawings:in.n which *Fig` 1 is.- a :perspective :View Lofwaiseatvcover mounted on aseat, indicated in'..brokenulineaias 5 Lviewed fromthesideandirear,

iFig. isv afview similanto 'Fig.14 1,as @viewed from .the side and front, Y

Fig. 3 i is atop plan` View.4 off. 1-and2, :.Eig. i 4..: is a -Irontelevational Iview-of fFigs.1 1o.andf2,

Fig. 5 is atv-rear {elevational-view-oivlgigstif1 -andfl2,

Fig. 6 l-isgaL-*side7*-,elevationalivicw,ei-==11i-gs.g-1 andi 2, fFignA 7 is-a--p1anviewofthe-#sheet materialfor the cover, :showing theepattern of cutsmferfthe vseveraljniarts. thereof, l. Fig. l il*v lis -a-l view A similar; to==Fig. 1-,s1viowi ng` a lmodi-ication, `and M M Fig, 9 yis a view similar to Figgrshowingra furthenmodiation *Referring to the drawings by characters of reference,- Y- there f -is shown general/ly;- at 0,1m Aldotted lines,- a typical qfront auto seatQ 1 which may 0r mayrndtfbe -12r0vidd- Wihth. 9.0mmti'onal seat cover xof semi-permanent i installation. Over the-seatjlis shown draped auxiliary, vloose-*fitting cover -`having; an integral strip ll-'Whichormi afrontanrony ,2f-.awa 'f; .lia-12d.- a beck' restgmrtion 4- iffhe @epicentimes :over @they-@Op 0f1 ,the.ba z1i @time .scatto e. Seam :l @extending .imm .one end .10i ...the seat i0. theotherllheterm' if/i94 of sheen! this lineihas .1101;ie1riicance-beyQndthe A'ents'incidentto Awheavailable.w 4thmo'f` sheets.

These-simmer@ rutgirom-r9atinuo. kI1f1iterie1- 'centeiriedpn 1911s. conv. .2I1-ilalor1-e..time .width .0.f. thesesheets is. ,no sufientto .spanthe Widthmost automate-and.

40 therefore. theproper .wllvhspfonseat coyerstare eutasleneths o sheeting the .normalsde edges of, 'thesheeting. thus. Occurringingthei covergat .seam l 6,lanclatjsheibottom` of, apron, l 2.

Eachi side f of the ,cover vcompris@ass-wo,panels 1Qneindicatedby:,the ..nurn,era1 IL lies at thgsie of the seatv backJ` andis secured seam..l.8.

Substantiallyintersects-the:line:off-intersection t of,the frontw ofi .they seat; 1 back :with the Ltopifzof the seat proper.A Panel-f I 'Ixalsahas aislantedflower zedger-23 which is positioned infsubstantially rec- 55 ctilinear, continuationcf `edgez22.

ad is rectangular in form. "cut -from a rectangle indicated generally by the 'numeral 3|, the several odd-shaped pieces being .arranged to good advantage to minimize scrap. A'In'this regard it has been found expedient to "provide for cutting such panels in sufcient numfb'er for two seat covers from a single rectangle,

Secured to the rearward edge of sheet I I at seam I6, is a pair of panels 24, 26, which are also secured to side panel I`I at seam I8 and which are united at their inner ends along a vertical seam 2l. Each back panel diverges outwardly of the center seam, having a slanted, lower edge 28 which is generally aligned with the line of lower edges 22, 23 of the side panels.

The entire lower edge of the cover, along the bottom of apron I2, edges 22, 23 and 28, is reinforced by a tape 29.

In covers used heretofore, the side panels such equivalent to the rear part of seam I8.

According to the present arrangement, any tug on the seat cover due to body contact of an occupant is carried along edges 22 or 23, or both, and since lower edge 28 of the back panel is in more or less direct line with edges 22, 23, the pull is transmitted across seam I 8, without detriment theretmbeing absorbed along edge 28.

A further advantage of the seat cover of this y invention lies in the saving of material. It will be noted that the side panels have been reduced -in areaby about one-half, and that the back panel has been materially reduced in area. The

elimination of these portions is permissible in covers intended for occasional use only, since only the seat portions subject to body contact need vvbe protected.

`Not only is material saved by elimination of -parts of the finished product, but it has been found that the forms of the back and side panels' lendA themselves more efficiently to pattern flayouts designed for minimum scrap.

" vSuch av layout is shown in Fig. '7, showing a strip of the rolledmaterial, with the lines to be cut indicated by broken lines, and with the several panels indicated by the same reference characters em- 'Q ployed in the foregoing description. The panel I I, of course, takes up the full width of the strip All other pieces are such as 3I, and such case is illustrated in Fig. 7.

The benets of the present invention are mani- 'fold, in addition to those set forth. It enables,

first of all, the use of a material of minimum weight (thickness) while maintaining the quality andv also the strength at the critical regions, with resultant long wear in service. There is a 4saving in labor over that already mentioned, 4since the conventional seat cover would involve a seam between the side panels similar to panels I1 and I9. Throw-on seat covers are folded for storage and one serious problem in thus folding approach is to be made.

pocket. Certain auto seats have ash trays in the back and the V form is also useful in permitting these ash trays to remain exposed.

It should be noted that the angular arrangement of the lower` edges at the side and the back, respectively, each contribute separately to the improved results, and when both are employed the optimum results are obtained. Thus, either may be employed alone in a seat cover which presents substantial improvement over conventional covers, for in either case the right angular meeting point is modied to reduce the tendency to tear.

While the edges 22, 23 have been dened as substantially aligned, obviously this condition is susceptible of modication without substantial sacrifice of the improved results. Also, where the bottom edge of the back is referred to as substantially aligned with the bottom edges of the side, this has reference to a seat cover, per se, apart from the seat in which condition such edges, together with strip 29, may be brought into a single plane. When mounted on a seat, of course, the lower edges of the side and back, respectively form an angle. In particular, when the lower edge of the back is straight and horizontal, this angle denes a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the vertical plane of the side of the seat. However, when the lower edge of the back is inclined to the horizontal, the defined plane is inclined at an angle to the vertical plane of the side panel. In the arrangement shown and described in this application, the defined plane makes an acute angle with that portion of the vertical plane of the side panel which lies below its line of intersection with the said defined plane. In particular, where the bottom edge of the back is such that it is directly aligned with the bottom edge of the side when the side and back are brought into a single plane, the angle between the dened plane and the back, above said dened plane, would be equal to said acute angle on the side. Or, more simply stated, it is desirable that edges 23 and 28 make equal angles with a horizontal plane. This denition is independent of the dihedral angle between the side and back of the seat. Obviously, due to the proportions of the seat, this exact situation may not, in general, be realized in practice, but represents an ideal condition to which The angles in panels I'I and 26, for instance, may differ by as much as 30 or more.

A modified form of seat cover is shown in Fig. 8, in which a hem 32 is substituted for the tape 22 around the lower edge of the seat cover. The front apron depends suflicient so that it and the side panel may be tucked under the lower, front corners of the seat, as at 33, and a drawstring 34, threaded through the hem is tied, as at 36, at the apex of the V bottom of the back panels. This arrangement also utilizes and is peculiarly adapted to the straight line pull on the lower edges 22, 23, 28 of the cover. Obviously an elastic cord may be employed instead of drawstring 34. If necessary, panels 24, 26 may be increased in size, or the position of seam I6 moved forward, or both, to provide the additional reach required in the apron. Alternatively, a corner strap 3l may be employed to engage under the sea corners, as shown in Fig. 9.

Whereas the features of the invention are illustrated in connection with a seat cover having ka single shroud for the seat back, the same principles may be applied to a seat cover having sep- "arate" shro'ds for ydr-aping over the respective f backsof split'seats.

Vhile a certain preferred embodiment has been fshown'fand described(theinventionis not limited' therebysince changes in the exact `size, shape and-arrangement for instance,'of the'valrious parts may be resorted to without departing from the y'scope' of the invention.

vWhat is claimedfis:

""*2."Af`seat cov'er comprising a main body portion, a side panel attached to the side edge of said main bodyv portion,l having a lower edge vslanting upwardly vin a-rearward direction and a back portion dening a pocket with-theV said main body portion, the lower edge of the back portion forming a' continuation of the lower edge of said side panel, land forming anangle with the lower edge of-'saidside panelfdefining-a plane which is inclined .at an acute anglefto -said sidev panel on f' the underside of said defined plane.

V 3. A'seat'covercomprising a main-bodyportion, a side panel attached to the side edges of said main body portion, and a back portion denning a pocket with the said main body portion, the lower edge of the back portion forming a continuation of the lower edge of said side panel, and forming an angle with the lower edge of said side panel defining a plane which is inclined at an acute angle to said side panel on the underside of said deiined plane, said lower edges comprising a hem enclosing means for contracting the length of said edges.

4. A seat cover comprising `a main body portion having a depending, front apron, a side panel attached to said apron and having a lower edge which converges toward the top edge of said panel from front to rear, and means to secure the corner defined by said side panel and said apron under the lower corner of a seat.

5. A seat cover comprising a main body por tion having a depending, front apron, a side panel attached to said apron and having a lower edge which converges toward the top edge of said panel from front to rear, and means to secure the corner dened by said side panel `and said apron under the lower corner of a seat, said means comprising a hem on the lower edge of said side panel and resilient means in said hem to shorten the effective length of the hem.

6. A seat cover comprising a main body portion having a seat portion, a front apron, and a looped portion adapted to be draped over the back of a seat, and side portions connected to the edges of said main body portion, each of said side portions having a panel adjacent said seat portion and front apron, the lower edge of which converges toward its upper edge from front to rear, and a panel connected to the edge of said looped portion, the lower edge of said latter panel converging toward the front of the looped portion in a downward direction, and a reinforcing means on the lower edges of said panels and connecting said edges in substantially rectilinear alignment.

7. A seat cover comprising a main body portion having a seat portion, a front apron, and a looped portion adapted to be draped over the tion infal downward direction,v ands afri forcing alignment, the Y meeting' line-v offlsaid'f seat`` portion fand said 1oopedfpo`rti'on boing located *i Y.

proximity tothe' une of soia-iow'er-edgosofesoid 15" close parles- @85A seat cover comprising a main" bodyipor- Yda loopedfportion-adaptedfto be "drapedove the back of a seat,'-and` side portions oonnectedt the edges of said main body portion, each-}of'fsaid side portions yhaving-@a panehadj'acent `s aid"fseat f portion and lfront apron, the l'ovveife'd'gej'of'i which coin'fer'gesl towardv its upperedge fro'm V`f'ront'to rear,l and a panel connected-ite the edgeof-s'aid looped portion, the lowe'redgeofisaiddatter panel converging toward the frontof tlieloopd'por- Vwtion in a downward direction,fandia-reinforcing means onthe ylower "edges of said"p`ane1s*'a-nd i connecting saidl edges in substantially freotili'near `rYralignment; the "lower edge offsaid"lopedeportiom rearwardly of said seat back, having an inverted V form.

9. A seat cover comprising a main body` portion having a seat portion, a front apron, and a looped portion adapted to be draped over the back of a seat, and side portions connected to the edges of said main body portion, each of said side portions having a panel adjacent said seat portion and front apron, the lower edge of which converges toward its upper edge from front to rear, and a panel connected to the edge of said looped portion, the lower edge of said latter panel converging toward the front of the looped portion in a downward direction, and a reinforcing means on the lower edges of said panels and connecting said edges in substantially rectilinear alignment, the lower edge of said looped portion, rearwardly of said seat back, having an inverted V form and being substantially aligned with the said lower edges of said panels when brought into a common plane therewith.

10. A seat cover comprising a main body portion having a seat portion, a front apron, and a looped portion adapted to be draped over the back of a seat, and side portions connected to the edges of said main body portion, each of said side portions having a panel adjacent said seat portion and front apron, the lower edge of which converges toward its upper edge from front to rear, and a panel connected to the edge of said looped portion, the lower edge of said latter panel converging toward the front of the looped portion in a downward direction, and a reinforcing means on the lower edges of said panels and connecting said edges in substantially rectilinear alignment, the lower edge of said looped portion, rearwardly of said seat back, having an inverted V form and being substantially aligned with the said lower edges of said panels when brought into a common plane therewith, and the meeting line of said seat portion and said looped portion being located in close proximity to the line of said lower edges of said panels.

l1. In a seat cover, a main body portion, and side panels attached to the side edges thereof,

said panels each comprising a generally wedgeshaped section, with the said sections joined in proximity at their narrow ends and with the lower side of each wedge forming substantially a straight line with the lower side of the other wedge.

12. In a seat cover, a main body portion, and side portions attached to the side edges thereof, said main body portion having a looped portion adapted to be draped over a seat back, and the lower edge of said looped portion behind said seat being nearer to the top of said looped portion at the center thereof than at the edges thereof, and said side portions each comprising a pair of generally wedge-shaped panels with the said panels in close proximity at their narrow ends, and with the lowermost side of the converging portion of one panel aligned with the lowermost side of the converging portion of the other panel.

13. In a seat clover, a main body portion, and

A side portions attached to the side edges thereof,

said main body portion having a looped portion adapted to be draped over a seat back, and said side portions each comprising a pair of genf lower edge of the back part of said looped portion having a generally V-form, inverted. and the respective parts of said lower edge each being substantially aligned with the said aligned sides of the panels when the back part of said looped portion and said panels are brought into a common plane.

14. A seat cover comprising a main body portion, a side panel attached to the side edge oi said main body portion, having a lower edge slanting upwardly in a rearward direction. and a back portion dening a pocket with said main body portion, the lower edge of the back portion forming a continuation of said lower edge of said side panel, and said lower edge of said back portion and said lower edge of said side panel being inclined at substantially equal angles to a horizontal plane when in position on a seat.

NORMAN R. SEAMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

